How visualisation can help you to lose weight?

Visualisation power is beyond imagination!

What if, just by using your mind and your imagination, you could improve your performance, change your body, supercharge your motivation and become more successful?

Albert Einstein said of the imagination: ‘It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.’ and, if it is true that through imagination – or it’s more structured cousin, visualisation – we can improve aspects of our lives, then that is a very powerful tool to possess.

To demonstrate the power of visualisation, this classic study, which has been repeated with similar results in many sports, looks at three groups of high school basketball players who wanted to improve their free throwing.

Group 1 – practiced for 20 minutes each day

Group 2 – did no practice

Group 3 – visualised free throws for 20 minutes per day

After 20 days, Group 2 showed no improvement, Group 1 improved by 23% and Group 3 improved 22% (see Korn & Johnson, p122).

And it is not just scientists who believe in the power of visualisation. Some well-known and successful personalities agree.

Jack Nicklaus said visualisation gave him 50% of his golfing ability. After setting the world record in 2009 Usain Bolt said “I just visualized and then executed my plan.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger stated “When I was very young I visualized myself being and having what it was I wanted. Mentally I never had any doubts about it.”

Will Smith visualises himself overcoming difficulties. Jim Carey famously imagined a cheque for $10 million and several years later got paid just that for Dumb and Dumber.

Tiger Woods and Bill Gates talk about how visualisation has helped them. Einstein was even said to have ‘visualised’ the theory of relativity.

“Imagery is actually a form of simulation. As you imagine yourself performing a skill or competing, you are creating muscle memory within the nervous and muscular systems of how to do the skill” say the Australian Institute of Sport. They add that it’s used by athletes at all levels and is one of the most important aspects of the ‘mental’ side of sports and performance.

“If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right” ~ Henry Ford.

Visualisation can help you achieve your goals. Whether to boost motivation, get better at a sport, lose weight or give outstanding presentations. It can help you mentally prepare so that when the situation does arrive, you’re already ready.

“Luck Is What Happens When Preparation Meets Opportunity” ~ Seneca.

How to practice visualisation to lose weight

Here’s an example of how you can use visualisation in your life. Say you want to lose weight. Visualise yourself eating slowly, choosing healthy foods, stopping eating when you’re full and then fitting into smaller sized clothes. If you keep repeating this your conscious desires will follow the messages that you are planting in your subconscious. Weight loss will start to follow quite naturally.

Visualise the process, how you will achieve your goal and the end result.

The key here is to use all your senses; notice the way you look, feel, think, see, smell, taste, hear and do, as everything goes exactly to plan. Make it really vivid and rich!

Don’t worry if you don’t get a crystal clear image or if you’re not very ‘visual’. We all use our imagination in different ways – perhaps you imagine feelings or sounds better than pictures. That’s ok. Repetition is vital so practise this on the bus, while brushing your teeth, before bed. Any time you get a chance. Give it a go, the results might surprise you!

About the Expert

Chloe is a hypnotherapist at www.easywaytochange.co.uk with a passion for helping people to make
changes to their thoughts, feelings and behaviours. With a background in
Nutrition and weight management, Chloe discovered hypnotherapy while
searching for a way to address the psychological side of diet and
exercise. When she's not seeing clients in her busy London practice, she's
doing yoga, cooking and trying not to fall off her bike.

Poya R.

Visualization can be a powerful tool when properly linked to emotions. Several studies indicate that the manifestation of visualization can best be achieved, when synced with powerful emotions, which strengthens or supports the visualized scenario. Studies indicate that it is the emotions and thereby not the visualized objects or scenarios, which transforms our subconscious and physical state.